Defying Expectations
by Dark Lord Ereshkigal
Summary: Giratina has just finished his routine inspection of Turnback Cave and muses on his past, when he suddenly finds a tearful Latias in the Cave who is trying to find the soul of her fallen brother, Latios. Feeling sorry for her, Giratina decides to reunite them in an action which will have surprising consequences for all of them! DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon.


Defying Expectations

A/N: Hi guys! I'm Dark Lord Ereshkigal and this is my first fanfic! I've always wondered what would happen if Giratina decided to ignore the rules of death set by Arceus and resurrect Latios for his sister. Although this fanfic does end up as a budding romance between Giratina and Latias, it is just as much a description of Giratina's history and personality. Let's just say it's not what you'd expect from the Lord of the Dead :)

Giratina strode throughout the many rooms of Turnback Cave, conducting his daily inspection of the ghosts of the dead and the other Pokémon that guarded the entrance to the Underworld's winding halls. As the Lord of the Dead, it was his duty, after all, to make sure that the dead stayed in the afterworld and didn't attempt to escape back to the Land of the Living. An evil spirit could easily wreak havoc on Earth if it was allowed to escape, and even a righteous soul could cause unforeseen problems due to the imbalance caused by the presence of death in a world meant to support only life. It wasn't a particularly difficult task, considering the intense magical security measures that he had cast and the many guardians that he had stationed to prevent death and life coming into contact with each other too closely. He had been assigned to take charge of the dead, and had gone through great lengths to do so in the Distortion World and Turnback Cave.

Contrary to popular belief, he had NOT been banished there because he was hated and shunned by the other Legendaries. At least, not entirely. It was a circulating rumor among the humans that he had been banished to the Distortion World for violence. That was actually not far from the truth, although that violence had been a rather nasty verbal reaction, rather than a physical assault, when he had first learned from Arceus that he was to be sent to Distortion World to guard over the dead. He had thought that he was being given the worst job a Legendary could possibly be given, and had cursed at Arceus with…choice words…before storming off to his new home.

Giratina had to admit that, at first, he had matched the description that every human who feared or even hated him had pictured in their heads. He had even, for a brief moment, planned a revolt to overthrow Arceus and take control of the Hall of Origin, if only to get out of his literal hellhole.

And then, the smallest of Pokémon changed his life forever. A young Duskull one day approached the Death Lord after one of his infamous rages. He timidly suggested that, instead of trying to take over others' worlds, Giratina should actually take the time to meet with some of his subjects and get to know them. The Duskull advised that he should at least see what his own world had to offer before comparing it to others'. The Renegade Pokémon had grudgingly decided to take the Duskull's advice, only to discover that the dead were actually quite similar to the living, except that they were spirits instead of physical beings. They had their own stories, fears, hopes, and personalities. It was quite enjoyable conversing with them, and that was when he realized that ruling the dead wasn't that bad after all. In fact, if he put its mind to it, it could turn out to be one of the best assignments Arceus had given out rather than one of the worst. Following on this conviction, Giratina interacted more and more often with his subjects, and as he did so, the darkness that had once possessed his heart gave way to a friendly, and in some cases downright cheerful personality.

When the first meeting of the Legendaries was called by Arceus, all of them were nervous about what would happen when Giratina showed up. Remembering his infuriated outburst the first time, they were expecting venomous looks, insufferable arrogance, utter hatred for all of them, and even possibly a deity rebellion. What they didn't expect was for the basilisk, when he finally did arrive, to give them all a lighthearted grin, jovially ask them what their jobs were like, and when the official business ended, challenge the Super Smash Bros. Brawl champions, Rayquaza and Palkia, to a match. He had then promptly crushed them, losing only one life while both of them were utterly defeated, taunting them while laughing at their expressions of envy and shock.

The Shadow Dragon made friends with everyone in the Hall easily, as his unexpectedly friendly personality made it impossible for even the most solitary and introverted of Legendaries, such as Darkrai, to not warm up to him. The biggest surprise came when Arceus approached the dragon, asking him if he would like to change his occupation and leave his post since he had originally protested against it vehemently.

"Are you kidding me? Hell no!" Giratina responded. "I love my job!" And with that, he had returned to crushing Palkia and Rayquaza a second time, smirking at the Legendaries who looked as though he had gone insane.

Ever since that first meeting, Giratina had turned from one of the most feared and hated to one of the most popular Legendaries within the Hall of Origin. He didn't always show up because of his position as Lord of the Dead, but when he did he was always well received and respected by his peers. However, although he visited his fellow Legendaries periodically, they rarely visited him. He couldn't really blame them; Turnback Cave wasn't exactly the nicest place to hang out.

To make his life easier when dealing with the dead (and he could tell you that there were a lot of them), Giratina decided to select a select few Generals not only to take command when he wasn't around, but also to be his closest friends in the Underworld. He made his decisions based on several criteria, including not just power, but also loyalty, personality, responsibility, and leadership ability. In the end, he chose a mischievous but loyal Gengar named Nergal, a Dark Gardevoir (who, despite her blacker nature, retained the kind and caring personality of a normal Gardevoir) named Ereshkigal, and a Lucario named Anubis to whom he had given immortality. But of all his generals, by far his favorite was the one who had changed his life with one simple suggestion. The little Duskull had grown up, with the help of a Reaper Cloth given to him as thanks, to become an extremely powerful and wise Dusknoir. Unlike others of his kind, who had only mediocre power along with their extreme bulk, this Dusknoir had become mighty in both offensive and defensive capabilities. This Dusknoir, whose true name was Midnight, would continue to serve as Giratina's commander and best friend.

In the present, Giratina finished checking the last room in his cave and was returning to the Distortion World to take a nap when, suddenly, Midnight appeared in front of him.

"Ah, Midnight!" Giratina called out tiredly but goodnaturedly. "How are you? Is there anything out of the ordinary that you need to report?"

"Indeed there is, master," the Dusknoir replied, bowing.

"Oh, come on, Midnight, no need for formalities. We're friends, after all! Just call me Giratina, please; master makes me feel old."

"Forgive me for saying so, Giratina, but you are almost as old as Arceus himself."

Giratina laughed. "Well, aren't you the jokester? Be thankful that I'm not Kyogre; she would have Water Spouted you had you made that comment to her. So…how's the condition of Turnback Cave? Anything to report?"

"Indeed there is, and I believe it is rather important."

Giratina raised an eyebrow. Midnight was usually very serious when it came to Turnback Cave. "What is it?" he asked, concerned.

"One of the living has entered Turnback Cave and is wandering around in the outer halls."

"Probably a trainer who's looking to capture me," Giratina snorted derisively. "I've beaten them before and I'll beat them again."

"Sir…if it was just a trainer I would've dealt with it myself. But this intruder…she's a Pokémon not like most of the others we've seen before. She's been calling your name and seemed very distraught…as though she desperately needed you."

That got Giratina's attention. "I'll see who it is," he replied immediately. "Take me to her."

"Giratina? Giratina! Where are you?" Latias cried out as she searched throughout the twisted chambers of Turnback Cave to find the Lord of Death. She was starting to believe that the whole trip had been a waste of time, seeing that all that she had accomplished with this journey so far was to blast back a few of the Haunters and Dusclopi that had attempted to attack her. She was about to give up and leave, out of the corner of her eye, she saw two huge shadows emerge from the wall. Out of the shadows came Giratina and a Pokémon she didn't recognize.

Giratina let out a small gasp of surprise when he saw Latias. "Latias!" he exclaimed. "Oh my Arceus! I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting any visitors!"

"No, I'm sorry, Giratina," Latias replied, embarrassed. "I should have let you know earlier before I came. I can come back when you're not busy."

"Nah, it's fine," he replied nonchalantly. "I was about to take a nap anyway, but that can wait. How can I help you?"

"I-I don't know if you heard the news, b-but…my b-brother…L-Latios is…is…" at that, Latias burst into uncontrollable tears.

"Yes, I know," Giratina responded uncomfortably. "In fact, I saw your brother's soul pass by here a few days ago."

Latias looked up sharply. "H-he was here? Wh-where did he go?"

"He has passed on into the Distortion World. Into the Afterlife. He's moved on."

Latias wailed in frustration and despair, "I-I missed him! If I had only c-come a f-few days earlier…" she burst out into tears again. Giratina felt a massive wave of pity and sympathy wash over him. It was honestly terrifying to see someone who had for so long been joyful and bright reduced to this pitiable state of depression and sadness. He would've rather faced a hundred of Darkrai's nightmares instead of this sight.

"If it's any comfort to you, Latias, Latios came here to a hero's welcome," Giratina said softly in an attempt to comfort her. "The quality of the afterlife for each individual depends on the quality of their soul, and your brother was one of the noblest and most courageous individuals I have ever had the privilege to know. You can be sure that he is happy in paradise."

Latias nodded sadly, "I know. But still, it just hurts too much. I need Latios! I'm not ready to protect Alto Mare and the Soul Dew on my own!"

Giratina wrapped his wing around her comfortingly. "You don't know that. You just need to get over your grief and move on. I'm sure that you'll be as good of a guardian as Latios, if not better."

"That's just it, Giratina! I can't!" Latias wailed. "I can't get over it! I was even tempted to destroy the Soul Dew myself a few times because of all the trouble it's caused! I've tried to move on, but…but...it's just too hard," she finished, whimpering.

At that moment, Giratina decided that he couldn't handle Latias' sorrow anymore. "Would you like to talk to him?" he finally asked, quietly.

Latias abruptly looked up. "Wh-what?"

"I can call your brother's soul up from the Distortion World. Give you and your brother time to speak to each other. Say final words and what-not. I AM the Lord of the Dead after all," he finished, a small smirk on his face.

"R-Really?" Latias asked hopefully. Giratina could already tell that her happiness was being bolstered significantly by this mere prospect.

"Well, it's not like I'm actually bringing him back. THAT would break quite a few rules. But just seeing him again…well, as long as you don't tell Arceus, then I don't see why not," the basilisk replied.

"Oh my Arceus! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Latias shrieked, leaping at Giratina and giving him a big hug. The Renegade Pokémon looked utterly shocked at her sudden embrace, and could have sworn that he heard a few chuckles from the shadows. He glared towards where they had come from, but the source had already disappeared.

"For this to work, I will need you to bring the Soul Dew here. It contains part of Latios' spirit, and will attract the more dominant portion from the Distortion World. I know you shouldn't really be taking it away from Alto Mare, but…"

"I…I have it here," Latias interrupted, taking out the precious blue gem. "I'm not exactly sure why I brought it with me…I thought maybe I could get closer to my brother with it…"

"Removing it from Alto Mare didn't cause any disasters in Alto Mare, did it?" asked Giratina nervously.

"No," replied Latias. "Since it is within my possession, it will not be negatively affected or negatively affect Alto Mare."

"Good," sighed Giratina in relief, "that will make our job much quicker and easier." He psychically lifted the Soul Dew from Latias and began chanting words in an ancient, mysterious tongue. Soon, a portal to the Distortion World began to open up in the middle of the Turnback chamber.

"Latios, brother of Latias, protector of Alto Mare," declared Giratina, "come forth and greet your sister! She has missed you dearly, and only you can raise her from her sorrows!"

A spirit began to emerge from the portal. It looked as though it was made of mist and glowed a pale blue. Yet there could be no mistaking the Eon Dragon that had sacrificed his life to save all of Alto Mare from destruction.

"Latios!" shrieked Latias joyfully. She zoomed towards her brother, but unfortunately he was only made of mist. She flew past him and would have fallen into the Distortion World portal had Giratina not dissolved it first, so she only slammed against the wall. She turned to Latios tearfully. "I…I can't hug you anymore," she complained.

Latios approached her sympathetically. "_I'm sorry for leaving you all alone Latias. I thought only of protecting Alto Mare and the ones that I…that you…cared for. Yet I have continued to watch over you even in death. It pains me to see you in such great despair, but unfortunately I cannot come back. The laws of death prevent me."_

His sister sighed sadly, "I know. I know that you can't come back. But I've missed you so much, Latios. Seeing you here…talking to you...it makes me feel like old times. Even if it won't last forever…I'm already feeling happier seeing you here."

_"I am truly glad that seeing me here has made you happier. And I have seen how well you guard the Soul Dew and Alto Mare. You give yourself far less credit than you deserve, my dear sister. The town is at peace and harmony because of your vigilance even in the midst of your grief. You have done admirably, and because of you my sacrifice has not been in vain."_

"Do you…do you really mean that?"

_"With all my heart, my dear sister. With all my heart. I could not have chosen a superior guardian to you."_

Hearing his praise, Latias burst into tears as her brother soothingly stroked her cheek (or tried to). At that moment, Giratina gave a loud cough.

_"My time is up, Latias. I must return to whence I came. Do not dwell in despair, for if you do it will be your downfall." _He turned to Giratina. _"I am ready to return, my old friend."_

Giratina gazed at the Soul Dew floating in front of him, thoughts conflicting within his mind. He then did something that neither Latias nor Latios could have possibly expected. Instead of reopening the Distortion World portal, he lifted the Soul Dew and smashed it to pieces on the ground!  
_"What are you doing, Giratina!" _the soul of Latios gasped in horror. _"Have you gone mad? This is the very reason why I died in the first place! Without the Soul Dew, Alto Mare will…_"

He could not finish his sentence, as he suddenly bent over in pain. Latias, forgetting that he was only a spirit, attempted to help straighten her brother. "What have you done?" shouted Latias at Giratina. "I can't believe I trusted you!"

"Wait!" commanded Giratina. "Watch!"

Everyone stared as a blue mist began to rise from the shards of the Soul Dew. Giratina began to chant again in that ancient language, and instead of the mist fading off into the rest of the room, it consolidated to form an image in the shape of Latios. Everyone stared as the image shot right at Latios's spirit, colliding and combining with it.

Latios nearly collapsed in pain again. What exactly had Giratina done just now? Weren't ghosts supposed to be immune to suffering after death? He looked at his hands. Was it just his imagination, or were they not quite as foggy as they had been seconds before? And was that blue aura…fading? What was going on?

Latias gasped in shock. Slowly, her brother's soul was coming more into focus. He was solidifying before her very eyes, and that ghostly aura was disappearing. After several seconds, the process was complete. Latios stood before her, just as he had appeared before that disaster at Alto Mare had claimed him.

"Latios! You…you're…"

"Congratulations, Latios. Welcome back to the world of the living," proclaimed Giratina calmly.

Nobody said anything for several seconds. And then…

A loud shriek of joy could be heard all throughout the Distortion World. The ghosts and Pokémon guardians all looked up and wondered just what the heck that was.

"LATIOS!" Just like she had done so before, Latias zoomed at her brother in an attempt to embrace him. Only this time, she succeeded. The two stood there for several moments, hugging each other tightly as if trying to make sure that this wasn't just a dream.

"Oh my goodness! I feel alive again!" Latios laughed. "Oh wait, that's because I am. I can't wait to tell the other Legendaries about this!"

Latias grinned at her brother. "And it's all thanks to..." she turned her head towards Giratina, but her grin faded when she saw the look of sadness on his face. "Wh-what's wrong, Giratina? Aren't you glad that we're happy and together again?"

Giratina gave a small smile. "Oh, I am. There's no doubt about that. But what I just did violates every single rule about being the Legendary of the Dead. When word gets out about this, Arceus will probably exile me forever or throw a Judgment at my face. I don't regret it, though. Seeing the look of happiness on your face is worth any punishment he can inflict on me."

Latias looked horrified. "No no no no NO!" she gasped. "That's not fair at all! He can't do that! I won't let him! I'll talk to him. And so will Latios. Right, brother?"

Latios nodded. "Punishing someone for doing the right thing isn't justice. We'll make Arceus see reason. You can count on it."

Giratina sighed. "I hope you are right. Even so, I must set all of my affairs in the Distortion World in order just in case. I may not be able to see you two again for a long time. Good-bye, my friends. I am glad that you two are together again."

And with that, Giratina dissolved into the shadows. A moment later, Ereshkigal appeared to the two Eon dragons.

"I will escort you out to the entrance of Turnback Cave," she informed gently. "And please," she pleaded, "protect my master from upcoming punishment. He has a good heart and only did what he believed was best for you two."

"We'll do our best to repay his kindness," Latios and Latias promised. They set off for the Hall of Origin, determined to spare Giratina from Arceus's wrath.

It had been several weeks since Giratina had resurrected Latios, and it was time for the next meeting of the Legendaries. When he first stepped into the Hall of Origin, Latias at his side, there had been such great cheering as had never been heard before. All of the female Legendaries had rushed up to hug Latios, while all of the male Legendaries shook his hand. Finally, for the first time in years, Latias had returned to her cheerful and optimistic state, and she couldn't help spread that to everybody around her. Even the Legendaries who often fought with each other, such as Groudon and Kyogre, had put down their differences and embraced their until recently fallen comrade.

The only one who was not pleased with the turn of events was Arceus. Although he too was happy that Latios had come back and that his sister was now at peace, he knew that Giratina had violated the most crucial of fundamental laws when he had released Latios's spirit. The Death Lord would have to be punished for his actions, even though they had been for a good cause.

Giratina was the last person to arrive for the meeting, since he had needed to gather up the courage to confront Arceus and face the music. When he did arrive, all of the Legendaries present cheered and gave various signs of approval and appreciation, ranging from pats on the back to hugs. He only vaguely acknowledged them, for Arceus was standing up there and he was waiting.

"Giratina," he said the name coldly, "you have violated the balance of life and death by releasing the spirit of Latios back into the land of the living. Your actions are a blatant disregard for the regulations regarding your duty, and as such you must be punished!"

At that, all of the Legendaries raised an uproar in protest of Arceus's words.

"What the heck? That's not fair!" yelled Groudon.

"Are you kidding me?" shouted Lugia.

"This is outrageous!" bellowed Palkia.

"Giratina made Latias happy again the only way he could, and you're going to PUNISH him for that?" exclaimed Rayquaza.

"Whatever this is, this isn't justice," sneered Darkrai.

"SILENCE!" roared Arceus, slamming his hoof down on the floor multiple times. "I have already heard from both Latios and Latias that Giratina did what he did out of selflessness and compassion. I have also heard reports from Giratina's generals, who all assert that, up until now, he has completed his duties faithfully and successfully."

Giratina glanced up in surprise. Only now did he see that Midnight, Nergal, Ereshkigal, and Anubis gathered in a corner of the Great Hall. Midnight and Anubis bowed, Nergal grinned, and Ereshkigal gave a small curtsy. "I'll have to thank them later for coming to my defense unasked," he mused gratefully.

"Giratina!" Arceus called out sharply. "I would like to speak with you ALONE. To discuss your punishment." And with that, the qilin turned and left the hall to his private quarters, Giratina following in his wake.

When the two were alone, Arceus turned to face Giratina. "Giratina…I don't know how to tell you how I feel about you releasing Latios's soul simply, so I'm going to divide it into the official and unofficial versions. Which do you want to hear first?"

"The official version," Giratina answered calmly.

"Very well," Arceus answered. "Officially, I'm absolutely furious at you. You shattered the most basic and important rules of death to tiny pieces. And not only that, you destroyed the Soul Dew! If chaos strikes Alto Mare again, it will be your fault. You do realize that, right?"

"I do not believe that will happen," Giratina contested. "The power of the Soul Dew comes from the fact that it held part of Latios's spirit. When I resurrected him, I combined the two spirit portions together. The power of the Soul Dew will live on through Latios, since it now lives within him."

Arceus sighed, "Perhaps that may be so. But you didn't know that for certain, and your recklessness could have put many lives in danger. Not to mention the fact that the boundaries of life and death have now been penetrated with Latios's return. I cannot ignore this, Giratina. There will be consequences for your actions."

"I understand, Arceus. I will take what comes. What is the unofficial version of your opinion?"

Arceus smiled. "The unofficial version is that I couldn't be more proud or pleased with what you have done. By giving Latios his life back, you also gave Latias hers back as well. Not only that, but you willingly risked your own safety, power, and life as a sacrifice for their behalf. Not many Pokémon, even among Legendaries, have the courage to do what you did."

"I…I don't know what to say, Lord Arceus," Giratina replied demurely.

"Let me tell you something that I have never told anyone else," Arceus replied. He lowered his voice. "YOU are my favorite creation, out of all of the others."

Giratina stared at his creator in utter astonishment. HE, the black Lord of the Death, was Arceus's favorite. How could this be possible?

"You alone are by far the most unpredictable of all the Legendaries I have created. I remember you back when you were first born. You were violent, jealous, vengeful, and contemptuous of others and yourself. I thought that I had perhaps made a mistake." At that point, Giratina bowed his head in shame of his past self.

"I could not have been more wrong. Despite everything you have become filled with the most valuable of virtues: compassion, forgiveness, and even love. You have turned out to become the exact opposite of what I had expected of you, and for that you have become my favorite creation. The other Legendaries would do well to follow your example."

"You do me great honor with your praise," Giratina responded. "Such praise makes me seem more worthy than I actually am."

Arceus laughed. "All the more proof that you are worthy of it, my friend." He looked towards the door leading back to the Hall. "It is time for me to announce your punishment to the rest of the Council. Do not worry, Giratina; it will not be a punishment that you cannot bear. In fact, you may even be glad of it. You can determine that for yourself.

With that, the two strode back towards the Hall of Origin. The Legendaries were busy chatting and discussing amongst themselves when Arceus stamped his hoof on the ground.

"Attention!" he announced. "I have decided on Giratina's punishment!"

The crowd instantly fell silently. "It is because of Giratina's actions alone that Latios has come back from the grave, and Giratina alone who is responsible for what may occur as a result, for good or for ill. Therefore, to minimize the amount of damage that could possibly occur, I order Giratina to make frequent inspections to Alto Mare to ensure that all is well with Latios and Latias. These visits must be daily for the first month, and will then be reduced to weekly for the rest of two years. This decision is final!"

All around the Hall, the Legendaries and Giratina's generals muttered sighs of relief as they realized that Arceus would not be inflicting such a huge punishment on the Lord of the Dead after all. The entire hall burst into cheers as everyone congratulated Giratina for his deed, and even Arceus couldn't help but give a small smile. "And with that, dismissed!"

After Arceus turned and left, Latias gave Giratina a gigantic grin. "So, we'll be seeing you around a lot in the near future, eh, Giratina?"

Giratina laughed. "I guess so, Latias. Hopefully Alto Mare won't be too disturbed by a big basilisk-like dragon thingy with shadows for wings."

Latios smiled, "You'll always be welcome with us."

"At any rate, I need to go thank my Generals for stepping up to my defense. I honestly didn't expect them to stand their ground against Arceus on my behalf. That takes a lot of guts and good character."

Latias turned and gave Giratina a hug, which he and Latios both expected. What they DIDN'T expect was for her to give Giratina a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you…for everything," she whispered. Unfortunately for them, most of the Legendaries were still in the area and had witnessed this little act.

"Well well well!" called out Raikou. "Looks like Giratina and Latias are getting awfully close!"

"Might as well start now; after all, they WILL be seeing each other pretty much every week for the next years," chortled Kyogre.

"How romantic," cooed Celebi.

"Giry and Latias sitting in a tree," sang Mew, "K-I-S-S-I-N-" was all he could say before Giratina blasted him into the wall with a Shadow Ball. At this point, Latias was blushing uncontrollably and Latios was angrily yelling at the other Legendaries for putting Giratina and his sister in such an awkward position.

"Get going…" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, and the two quickly fled the Hall. Outside, they stopped to catch their breath, and Latias turned to Giratina. "Can I ask you something?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course! Go ahead!"

"Wh-why did you bring my brother back? What drove you to shatter the Soul Dew and restore his life?"

Giratina thought for a moment. "There were many reasons why, I guess," he finally said. "One was because Latios didn't deserve to die. He was a hero and I would have given him another chance freely if I'd been able to. But I needed the Soul Dew first, which you fortunately had with you at the time. Another was because I really wanted to remove the sadness in your face during his death. It wasn't just depressing for all the Legendaries…it was honestly unnatural. I'm sure that many, if not all of us were trying to figure out ways to make you smile again." He gave a brief laugh. "Looks like I'm the only one who succeeded."

Latias laughed too, but then grew serious. "There's another reason, isn't there?"

Giratina blushed. "Er…uh…heh…um…" he stuttered.

Latias put a hand over his mouth. "I know what it is…you like me a lot, don't you? And more than just as friends?"

Giratina sighed. "Yes, it's true. I always admired your ability to always be cheerful and friendly to everyone. Whenever you were around, my day always felt brighter. You're also one of the most kindhearted Legendaries I know, more than any of the others. Not to mention the fact you're very beautiful."

Latias stared. "You really think that about me?"

Giratina sighed. "I really do, there's no point in me hiding it anymore. It's not like I'm ever going to have a girlfriend anyway, so you can go ahead and reject me now."

"…"

"The funny thing is, I wasn't even thinking about that when I brought back Latios for you. The only thing that I was thinking of at that time was making you happy again, since it was just so depressing to see you like tha-"

Giratina never got to finish his words, for at that point Latias had kissed him right on the mouth. His brain was going haywire as he wondered just what the heck was going on, but after it got settled he decided to embrace the kiss and return it in full force, moving his mouth in tune with Latias'.

"You're the only one, out of every Legendary, who was able to bring me joy again. I think that's definitely plus, Giratina," Latias finally answered when they had stopped to catch some air. "And since we're going to be seeing each other every day for the next month, we might as well make it a date!" she giggled.

Giratina's eyes were wide open. "A date?! Uh…you sure Latios isn't going to mind?"

Latias scoffed. "He's too overprotective, I really don't care what he thinks that much anymore."

Giratina grinned. "What a rebel you are! I'll see you tomorrow then! You should show me around Alto Mare!" He began to head toward Turnback Cave.

Latias laughed and waved cheerily. "See ya!" she called as she turned towards her hometown.

Giratina gave a huge sigh of contentment. "Wow! She likes me! She actually LIKES me!" his said contentedly to himself. "Wait til I tell the other…"

"Oh, there's no need to tell us, boss, we saw the whole thing!"

Giratina whirled around to see Nergal's grinning face stretched out annoyingly in front of him. Ereshkigal was trying to hide a giggle, while Midnight and even Anubis were trying to hide smiles. "WHAT THE HELL!" he roared. "A LITTLE PRIVACY, PLEASE?!"

Nergal smirked. "Oh don't you worry boss, we'll leave be sure to leave you and Latias alone whenever she comes here to engage in private…business…"

Ereshkigal shot a Dark Pulse at him. "You pervert!" she growled.

"Enough!" Midnight intervened, although he secretly believed that the unfortunate Gengar was getting what he deserved.

"All right, my friends!" Giratina called. "I want to thank you for coming to my defense. I saw your stalwart loyalty more pronounced now than ever before, and I know that I made the right choice choosing you as my generals!"

"It was a pleasure to come to your aid, Master," Anubis replied, bowing. The others made similar gestures of agreement.

"As a reward, take a break for a week, all of you! Go wherever in Sinnoh you please! Enjoy a vacation you deserve it! And most importantly, have fun!"

The generals all cheered as they returned to Turnback Cave to pack their belongings and set out to Sinnoh for their much-anticipated vacation.

Giratina, on the other hand, was already lost in thought. He wanted to make a good first impression to Latias, but he had no experience with romance whatsoever. One of his generals, on the other hand…

"Hey, Midnight!"

The Dusknoir turned to his master, eye raised questioningly. "What is it?"

"What do girls like to do on dates?"

I hope you guys liked this! Read and review please! Also, some of my future fanfics might be based off of one or more of the characters listed above!


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